The night was colder than Aiden expected. The wind snuck past the tall trees surrounding the academy's rear wall, brushing through the grass and tugging at the edge of his coat as he and Lopt made their way along the hidden path, lit only by moonlight and the occasional shimmer of blue fire Aiden conjured to light their way.
"We need to hurry," Aiden said, his voice low but urgent as he stepped over a gnarled root. "If she gets too far ahead, we might lose her trail."
Lopt, walking ahead of him with his hands casually tucked into his pockets, barely glanced back.
"Relax. I know where she's going. She has nowhere else to go. Besides…" His lips twitched into a slight grin. "She's terrible at sneaking around."
Aiden frowned. "Still, I don't want anything to happen to a classmate."
"She's not helpless," Lopt said, then added more softly, "but I get it."
